techspecs by RadioShack

Win A Trip To See Robin Thicke In Concert!

Ricky Cadden — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:32:19 +0000

The Beats Pill is a portable Bluetooth speaker that uses NFC to connect to your favorite smartphone, like the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC One. It’s also available at your local RadioShack store, and for a limited time, when you purchase the Beats Pill (or any Beats by Dr. Dre product, mobile phone, tablet, or MP3 player) at a participating RadioShack store, you’ll get an EXCLUSIVE download of “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell (Laidback Luke Remix). While the song is definitely great, we wanted to make this even better, so we got together with Beats by Dr. Dre and Robin Thicke to offer you the opportunity to win a trip to see Robin Thicke in concert!

There are a few things you’ll need to do in order to be entered to win.

Follow @RadioShack and @BeatsByDre on Twitter/Instagram
Check this blog post EVERY WEEK for the weekly theme – it’ll be updated on Thursdays
Take a photo that fits the weekly theme (announced here each week) at your local RadioShack store
Share the photo on Twitter or Instagram with “@RadioShack” “@BeatsByDre” and “#UWANTIT” in the description
That’s it! You’ll be entered to win a grand prize trip for 2 to see Robin Thicke in concert, or a weekly first prize RadioShack swag bag, including a $200 RadioShack gift card, Enercell Portable Power bank, and more!

There are a few legal rules and whatnot, you can view those here for the full details.

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How To Ditch Your Home Phone Service

Paige Guyton — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:56:04 +0000

With smartphones becoming the most used source of communications, be that texting, tweeting or calling, a home phone is becoming less of a staple for the home. There is a whole generation that may not have used a land-line in their lifetime, but been raised using only a cell phone.

However, there are still some major features of home phones that make it hard to throw it to the curb. For one, many people do not want to lose their phone number. It is the number that most of their family and friends use to directly connect with them. Battery life is also very important, with the amount of information we are consuming on our cell phones, the battery life can be short. Another reason to keep a home phone around is for the little ones that are not quite ready for their very own cell phones.

One way to ditch that home phone service, save a little money and still have the benefits of the home phone is the AT&T Wireless Home Phone Connect. This little box can go anywhere in the house as well as anywhere with a power outlet. This could be the office or a family vacation on the RV. It comes with a 3.5 hour battery that does not need power. Just plug your corded or cordless telephone into the base unit and you are good to go. It is inexpensive and bills directly on your cell phone bill.

You can check out the AT&T Wireless Home Phone Connect at your local RadioShack store. Also, for limited time only save $25 when you purchase the AT&T Wireless Home Connect plus an AT&T Cordless Phone at RadioShack. We also have the Home Phone Connects for Sprint and Verizon.

Would you make the switch?

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Top 5 Projects For The Great Outdoors

Ricky Cadden — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:21:18 +0000

Summer is pretty much here, depending on where you live, which means you’re probably getting ready to spend more time outside in the coming months. Just because you’re outside, doesn’t mean you should stop building cool projects – in fact, there are TONS of cool stuff you can build that are designed for the great outdoors. Here’s our top five:

Altoids Phone Charger/Flashlight

Sure, you can walk in to your local RadioShack store and buy an Enercell portable power pack (we obviously recommend you do), but it can be just as much fun to build one yourself, using easy-to-find parts such as an old Altoids tin. This little project does use an Enercell 9v battery for power, as well as some other basic parts, such as LEDs and wires.

Solar Pump and Rainwater Tank

Wired_Rain_Barrel_Final

This project was featured in the October issue of Wired last year, but it’s still pretty useful, especially during the storm season where you’ll get plenty of rain. Using an Arduino and some rain barrels, Bob Parks devised this system which collects rainwater in a ground-level rain barrel, then automatically pumps it to a barrel on the 2nd floor of his house, so that he has enough pressure to wash his car. It uses solar power for the pump, as well, which is awesome.

Mailbox Indicator Light

When the temperatures hit triple-digits in a few months, you’re going to want to AVOID the great outdoors, if possible. We all hate going all the way out to the mailbox, only to discover that the mailman hasn’t come yet, then trucking it back to the house. With this easy mod, you can simply look out the window to quickly see whether or not there is mail waiting for you.

Arduino-powered Bicycle Speedometer

As you hit the trails this summer, it’s always fun to be able to see how fast you’re REALLY going. This simple project uses an Arduino and a reed switch to tell you exactly how fast you’re pedaling along. There’s an LCD screen that you can mount to your handlebars, so you can glance down to get your current speed.

Solar-Powered Phone Charger

This summer, there’s one thing we know for sure – the sun will be out in full force. Sure, we’ll be sweating profusely as a result, but we should also take advantage of that for some clean, green power. This project will help you keep your phone powered up, regardless of where you end up – it’s great for camping, or a weekend at the lake.

What outdoor-oriented project are YOU working on this summer?

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Testing The Rugged Kyocera Torque for Sprint

Ricky Cadden — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:36:57 +0000

Rugged smartphones are probably one of my favorite things to get to play with. Most smartphones are just big sheets of glass with some circuitry inside – they’re relatively fragile, and they’re not typically something you would submerge in water or throw dirt on, unless you have a protective case on it. The Kyocera Torque, however, is one of those ruggedized smartphones that’s a lot of fun to test out. This phone, available for Sprint at your local RadioShack store, is ruggedized to meet IP67 standards for dust and water immersion and Military Standard (Mil Spec) 810G for dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, blowing rain, low pressure, solar radiation, salt fog, humidity and immersion for up to 30 minutes in up to 1 meter (3.28 ft) of water. In fact, Kyocera tapped Bear Grylls to use this phone in all of the crazy situations he gets himself in to.

Typically, consumers expect ruggedized phones to have poor specs, with lame cameras, slow processors, and old software. That’s not the case with the Torque, however. Check out Ricky’s walkthrough of some of the key features:

As you can see, the Kyocera Torque for Sprint has some impressive features, and being ruggedized is just an added bonus! Paired with the Enercell Portable Power bank and a pair of SOL REPUBLIC TRACKS headphones, you’ve got a sweet smartphone that can take a beating. Sounds good to us.

The Kyocera Torque is available today at your local RadioShack store, and don’t forget to bring in your old phone so you can get INSTANT savings with RadioShack’s Trade & Save program. When you buy your phone at RadioShack, you also get EXCLUSIVE access to our customers-only Mobile Product Support service, which offers live help from our team in Seattle, Washington, to help you do pretty much anything on your phone.

How would YOU test the Kyocera Torque for Sprint?

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The Samsung Galaxy S 4 Is Now Available

Paige Guyton — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:36:08 +0000

The next big thing is finally here! The Samsung Galaxy S 4 has some amazing features that really make it stand out from the crowd and is now available at your local RadioShack store. Lets take a closer look at all the Samsung Galaxy S 4 has to offer:

Without a doubt the Samsung Galaxy S 4 is an incredible smartphone with a 5-inch SUPER AMOLED display that is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. It has a 2.0 megapixel front facing camera and it is also powered by Android version 4.2.2 also called Jelly Bean.

It’s available from AT&T, Sprint and Verizon and is available at your local RadioShack store. You can use our Store Locator to find the closest RadioShack store easily.

We also recommend that you pick up the AUVIO Element Earbuds so you can enjoy your music while you are on the go, and while you at it the Enercell Portable Power bank makes sure you don’t lose a minute of jamming time due to a dead phone battery.

Also, when you purchase the Samsung Galaxy S 4 at RadioShack, you get FREE access to our exclusive Mobile Support team - they’re available via phone, email, chat, or online, and are ready to help you with anything you might need on your phone, whether it’s setting up your email account or transferring music from your computer.

What’s your favorite feature of the Samsung Galaxy S 4?

The post The Samsung Galaxy S 4 Is Now Available appeared first on techspecs by RadioShack.

Join Us For #RSMPS: Mobile Product Support

Paige Guyton — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:05:42 +0000

In November of 2011, RadioShack launched its Mobile Product Support! For those that are not familiar with this FREE service for RadioShack customers, it is exclusive support for your devices. Once you purchase a new phone or tablet you are automatically signed up. Whenever or however you need it, we are there to help you can get the most out of your device with our Mobile Product Support Team.

There are several ways you can access the RadioShack Mobile Product Support:

1-855-RSHELPU (1-855-774-3578) - this toll-free number is available 7 days a week from 6a-12a PST. Our call center is located in the Pacific Northwest, up in Washington State, and is designed specifically to offer YOU a great experience. You won’t have to wade through a bunch of menus, and you’ll get a real live human being – no bots here.
Email - you can send an email through our Mobile Product Support site and get a response within 4 hours, guaranteed (usually it’s even faster than that!)
Live Chat – you can chat live with an agent 7 days a week from 6a-12a PST, if you’d prefer immediate response. It’s a great way to get help for something on your phone, especially.
How-To guides and a Support Forum – if you prefer to find your own answers, but need a little help, we can do that, too. We have how-to guides created specifically for YOUR device, complete with screenshots, to help you get the most out of your new toy. The Support Forum is also a great place to connect with others for assistance.
Mobile App – the best part, however, is our new Mobile App! The RadioShack Mobile Product Support App automatically detects the phone that you have it installed on and serves up how-to’s and guides for that specific phone. You can also use the app to immediately connect with our Mobile Product Support team, or to keep up with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Now that you know what Mobile Product Support consists of, we want to give you a peak at some of the features it has available. That is why we have started a Twitter Chat with our Mobile Product Support team. They will be available to answer any questions about your phone or tablet. (Even if you did not purchase it from RadioShack). Spend an hour with us as we answer any questions that you have been wondering. Be sure to leave your questions in the comments below and we will work to answer them all.

How do you join the chat?

1. Follow @RadioShack on Twitter

2. Check out our Twitter page MONDAY, May 13, starting at 4pm CST.

3. Participate in the conversation using the hashtag #RSMPS

4. Leave a question for the Mobile Product Support team in the comment section below and we will work to answer them during the Twitter Chat!

We also have 1 year Mobile Product Support subscriptions to giveaway to 5 lucky participants. So be sure to join us on MONDAY from 4pm-5pm CST!

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Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Paige Guyton — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:58:49 +0000

Mother’s Day is around the corner, this Sunday to be exact, and if you are still in search of the perfect “I love you, Mom!” gift we want to help. Whether your mother is a bookworm, athlete, photographer or boardroom pro, we have the right gift for her.

Amazon 6″ Kindle Paperwhite

If you mother loves to read, but is constantly on the move, then the Amazon 6″ Kindle Paperwhite is the perfect gift for her this Mother’s Day. This bad boy offers a 35% higher contrast than the original, which means reading is a breeze while sitting outside on the patio or on the beach. It also holds up to 1,100 books, so no matter where she is she will have her own personal library ready at a moment’s notice.

Auvio Bluetooth Portable Speaker

If music is your mom’s thing then why not get her something to pump up the jams! This little black box allows her to enjoy her favorite music without being tied down to headphones or an outlet. It will play up to 6 hours of continual music with a single charge. So while she is in the backyard or at a sporting event her favorite tunes will follow her anywhere. You can check out our video walkthrough of the AUVIO Bluetooth Portable Speaker, if you want more details.

Nikon COOLPIX S3500 20.1MP Digital Camera

Help her catch every special moment with the Nikon COOLPIX Digital Camera. This pocket sized camera can go with your mother anywhere! With its 20.1 megapixel resolution, every shot is bright and clear! If videos are more her thing, this camera can also shoot video in 720p HD to bring all the amazing memories to life. Also, be sure to grab a Lowepro Camera Case to keep that bad boy safe while on the go!

The One Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker

If health and fitness is a top priority for the mother in your life, The One Activity Tracker is a must-have! The One motivates you to reach your goals by providing you with valuable fitness data. It tracks your calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled and stairs climbed, challenging you to go further every day. Don’t sweat the small stuff, because this little piece of technology is sweatproof, rainproof and splashproof. It can even track your sleep with the included wristband, so mom can see just how little she’s actually getting.

Which one is perfect for your mother? Tell us below and you might win a digital camera of your very own!

One comment/entry per person. To enter, leave a comment below, telling us which gift would be perfect for your mom. Contest begins at 4:00 pm CT on May 6th, 2013 and ends at 11:59 pm CT on May 12th, 2013. Winner will be chosen randomly by RadioShack and announced after 12:00 pm CT on May 15th, 2013. Winners will be contacted via email and will receive 1 (one) Nikon J1 digital camera in white. No substitutions for prizes. Please allow 2-3 weeks for prize delivery.

No payment or purchase necessary to win. Neither a purchase nor payment will improve your chances of winning. While you’re pretty cool in our book, you are not a winner of this contest yet. Void where prohibited. Must be a resident of the 50 United States to win. Employees of RadioShack and their families are ineligible.

UPDATE: thanks to all who commented! We’ve randomly selected our winners, congrats to Karen, John, Theresa J, Seth Emerson, and Brett!

The post Mother’s Day Gift Guide appeared first on techspecs by RadioShack.

Beats Pill at RadioShack – #UWANTIT

Paige Guyton — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:50:07 +0000

Calling all music fans! RadioShack and Beats have joined together to create a commercial that adds a little twist on technology and a lot of fun! This exclusive new TV spot features Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and the Beats Pill, which is available TODAY at RadioShack. Check it out for yourself and let us know if #UWANTIT!

The Beats by Dr. Dre Pill Wireless Speaker is available at RadioShack in black, red and white. Pick one up so you can enjoy music while you are on the go! Also, when you purchase the Beats Pill at RadioShack you will get a $10 coupon when you spend $30 now through June 1,2013. Get the details.

EXCLUSIVE: For a limited time, you can get an EXCLUSIVE download of “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell (Laidback Luke Remix) when you purchase in-store any Beats by Dr Dre ® product, mobile phone, tablet or MP3 player at participating RadioShack stores! A FREE download code will be printed on your receipt, and can be redeemed at http://www.RadioShack.com/UWANTIT.

Which color do you want?

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